From next week, check property tax online in Ludhiana

LUDHIANA: After the issue of fake property tax returns surfaced at the MC office, civic officials have come up with preventive measures. The department will launch a facility for people using which they will be able to check property tax receipts through the MC website or mobile application. Officials said they will introduce the system by next week.

Under the new system, officials will put up a link, “check and verify your property tax return,” on the MC website. On clicking the link and filling the property ID number, all the information related to the property in question will be displayed on the screen. In case of the mobile app, people will have to scan the bar code printed on the receipt after clicking the link. With this, residents will get to know about tax payment, whether they have paid tax using the online system or at MC offices.

The department has already started printing the bar code on the final receipt given to people to curb duplicity of returns and maintain secrecy. Every property tax receipt has a unique bar code, on scanning which people and officials can verify the amount deposited with the department. Under the new system, residents will get information at a single click.

MC superintendent Vivek Verma said the system will bring about more transparency. He also said they have started making changes in the system and hope to introduce it by Monday. On Wednesday, Lok Insaaf Party MLA Simarjit Bains raised the issue of fake property tax receipts in front of MC commissioner Jaskiran Singh through a complainant who said a temporary employee of the MC issued him fake receipts. An inquiry is on and additional commissioner Vishesh Sarangal will submit a report to the commissioner in three days.